Influences

[Richard Tracey]

Okay, lets kickstart the Lounge.

 

As I said in a previous post, I love hearing about the bands/artists that have had the biggest influence on why you make music and the style of music you make. What is it about their music that inspires you and makes you feel that you would hate to go a period of time without listening to them.

 

I'll start and I'm sure it won't be much of a surprise to some who have listened to the sounds I like to create....

 

My biggest influence on me has been Midge Ure. If you don't know who he is, he was a member of Ultravox and created Visage who had one of the most seminal 80's tracks ever with Fade To Grey. He co-wrote Do They Know It's Christmas and was one of the biggest artists in the 80's. To me the music, is very creative, powerful, dramatic and stir emotions. They are songs that I never tire of listening to and I sometimes wish he had received more recognition for his contribution to a sound that defined an era and beyond. Although the groups he has been a member of are my favourite, it was Midge that was my idol, he had a voice with incredible range and even now in his 60's he can still belt out the songs. When you listen to the songs, they feel like mini movies, very visual storytelling and even the sad and slower songs make you feel happy.

 

I have written sad music before, that my family comment on as being sad and depressing, but to me I feel it is uplifting and makes me happy.

 

Although Midge was my idol when it came to popular music, my other musical hero was John Barry. I'd like to think that I don't have to explain who he is, but if you don't know, he was responsible for most of the James Bond music you have heard, as well as numerous other soundtracks. He was a master of beautiful, sad and evocative soundscapes and I felt truly sad the day he died.

 

I don't want to make this post too long, so I will end by attaching an Ultravox song, which is one of my favourite songs of all time - Dancing With Tears In My Eyes. I hope you enjoy listening to it.

 

 

[MonoStone]

It's not an easy question. It's hard to know who's influenced me. 

 

I know I'm drawn to atmosphere, and I think that comes through. That is probably influenced by some John Martyn stuff, I like that melancholy atmosphere. But I tend to cherry pick songs I like too...I mean I don't get into an artist and like everything by them... I like songs more than artists... and there are probably songs I aspire to, so maybe I'm influenced in that way. And I think the music that I didn't even buy as a kid, but that filled the radio and TOTP in the 80s probably all got into my head whether I want it or not, so it all influences me and likely especially the sound (which I really try to get away from). Outside of atmosphere/mood I suppose I wish I could write SONGS as good as those on Hunky Dory.... but I really have no desire to sound LIKE that, because that would be trying to be somebody else. 

 

I worked in a record shop in my teens, in the early 90s.... and listened to pretty much everything in the shop... I was stuck in the basement, during the week days it was dead so I'd go through all the records...play a track or two off each, put another record on... and then other staff would do the same... it was a big old Virgin shop and we had everything from really old obscure stuff to the chart stuff, so my head got filled with all sorts all day every day. 

 

And if I hear a new song I really love now, something about it will likely inspire or influence me... not to sound like it but to maybe try to get a similar feel....and I always miss what I'm shooting for, I don't think I've ever managed to sound like any music that's influenced me...but maybe that's a good thing. 

 

And I used to be in a band, and I think the way each member of the band played their parts has influenced me...because it's how I learned, or how we all learned together...and we rehearsed and gigged constantly for years so those people are bound to be some influence.

 

As I say, I cherry pick elements too... I'll listen to a song and think 'I love the way they do that BIT', especially if theres a part that gives me a chill (like the WAY it's sung or the way a sound is used, rather than the notes/words) and not care much for the rest... so bits of songs (or maybe arrangement/production) sticks in my head and makes me want to do a complete song influenced by that little bit...to kind of make it the way I would have preferred it without the bits I didn't like, and muddled with other style influences which are subconscious or deep rooted...if that makes sense. And that's probably the way I'm most influenced and the way it comes out... 

 

Tough question...for me.... I gather my stuff comes out sounding a bit Floydy which I don't understand, based on comments I don't usually agree with (not that I mind such comments) ... and a bit 90s maybe, which I do understand, because that's when I was in a band, but do my best to avoid (because I don't want to be stuck back there).

 

Rambled a bit there... couldn't think how to answer briefly.... but wanted to take part anyway  

[Rudi]

This was the first time I had heard Jerry Garcia. I was 16 and watching the film Zabrisky Point. This is the Love scene music. Though he died in 1995 I continue to be inspired by Garcia.

 

 

Also in the film was my favourite Pink Floyd track which occurs at the climatic end. Its a version of 'Careful with that Axe Eugene'. I was heavily into Floyd at that young age, so this movie represents a transition of musical taste for me.

 

The music doesnt kick in until 2.25 The scream occurs at 5.00

 

 

[Richard Tracey]

David, Dek, Rudi- see this is what I find interesting. The things you have mentioned are all about emotion, a feeling that hits you and stays with you. This is something I think is missing from most of the music made today and over the past 10 to 15 years or so. Now don't get me wrong, there have been a lot of great songs written and released during that time, but more often than not, we find out about them by searching, word of mouth, by accident. Kids today aren't getting the chance to listen to the wide variety of music we would have had growing up. We have the radio on in my office and we constantly comment that all the songs they play sound the same, with the same crap, mundane lyrics. Every so often they will play a song that you think, wow, that is good. I think I mentioned to Mahesh about Rag and Bone Man 'Human'. This is a new release, but it has captured my imagination. He sings it with passion and the song has a very interesting arrangement. That doesn't happen very often. All the recent stuff I have liked, I have found.

 

I like how David and Dek mentioned about working with others has influenced them and given them an understanding of rhythm and pacing etc. You can certainly hear that in their tracks, something I don't have the luxury of. My friend was in a band and friends with the drummer for a while. I can hear this when he does his own tracks as he knows how to set up the drums the way you would hear them in a band. I have thought for a while about taking drum and guitar lessons (I have tried guitar in the house, but constantly get interrupted and lose train of thought). I feel this would help with my composing, give an understanding of structure and arrangement.

 

Dek, I think it was great you worked in a record shop. It is one of the things I miss now, is going in and searching through all the LP's for a gem. One of my best finds was walking into Tower Records in Glasgow about 95 and heading up to the top floor. I had only popped in for a minute or so to kill time and just after I walked in, the guy behind the counter put on this song and it was amazing, hair on the back of the neck rising kind of thing. That song was Clubbed To Death by Rob Dougan and the guy had just taken the cd out of the box, thought the cover was cool and put it on. I bought it right there and then. Probably the first person in Scotland as it wasn't a big release and Tower tended to get the unusual stuff back then. The song did nothing. Then it was put on The Matrix soundtrack and blew up. I told everyone about that song for years and no-one was interested and then they played it in a movie and suddenly it was a fantastic piece of music!!!!

 

I've also taken a bit of every song I have heard and can't remember how many times I have sang over a song with different words, changing up the melody and thinking, that is the song I would have done.....